Combined manually and mechanically actuated musical instrument.



No. 675,706. i Patantad June 4, mm.

B. J. BENNETT. COMBINED IANUALLY AND IECHANIC ALLY AGTUATED MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Applicltinn filed Feb. B, 1898.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

an $60M I m: scum: mils ca. mo'ro-umo WASNI 'No. 675,706. Patented June 4, Mil.

n. J. BENNETTQ I 'GOIIBINED IIANUAL'LY AND NEGHANIGALLY ACTUATED'NIUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

(Application filed Feb. 8, 1898.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

THE nomu: runs 001, Pumaungu. wnmucmn, b. c.

UNITED STATES P TENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J. IiENNETT; OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR To LYON & I-IEALY, OF sAME PLACE.

COMBINED MANUALLY A ND MECHANlC ALLY ACTUATED MUSlCAL INSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 675,706, dated June 4, 1901. n me. filed rebm'm a 1898." Serial No, 669,607 on model.) 7

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ROBERT J. BENNETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented acertain new anduseful Improvementin a Combined Manually and Mechanically Actuated Musical Instrument, of which thefollowing-is a specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference-letters indicate the same 'or corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion of an organ with that part towhich my invention chiefly relates enlarged and shown in vertical transverse section, illustrating the position assumed by the various parts thereof when the same are to be used in conjunction with a traveling music sheet or card. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the more particular features of my invention on the same plane as shown in Fig. 1, but with the parts thereof appearing in the position they assume when theiroperation is to be manuallycontrolled by the performer. Fig. 3 is a portion of a rear elevation of the parts shown in Fig.2.

My invention relates to that class of .mu-

sical instruments whose sound producing mechanism is capable of being operated either mechanically or manually; and it.,more particularly relates to means whereby the, performer may at pleasure bring into operation either the manual or mechanical controlling and actuating devices. Heretofore toaccomplish this it has been deemed necessary to construct such instruments with one set of ports and their respectively-connected windpassages for the admission of air when it was desired to operate the instrument mechanically and another set of ports and their respectively-connected wind-passages for the admission of air when the instrument should be operated manually. Such aplurality of passages is expensive and unnecessary.

The object of my invention is to dispense With these unnecessary passages and to that end it consists in combining with the soundproducing mechanism of such an instrument a series of collapsible chambers or passages, air-ducts opening thereinto from the tracker,- board, a series of passages, tubes, or pipes through which air received in the chambers istransferred 'to the pneumatics which operate the sound-producing mechanism, and valves operated by the collapsing of said chambers to close said latter passages; in com- 5 5 bining with the features above referred to ports opening into the collapsible chambers directly from the external air, valves for closing said ports, andmeans controlling said valves whereby they are closed when the said chambers are distended and opened when said chambers are partly or wholly collapsed; in combining the above-described features with means whereby at the will of the performer they may be made to assume their respective to be operated by means of a traveling music- 7 5 sheet, receives air through apertures in the tracker-boardB and the connecting pipe or tube C,and when the sound-producing mechanism is to be operated manually receives air through the port a controlled by the valve d, in either case discharging said air through the port'o, (controlledby a valve a connected tothe hinged top a) into the pipe, tube, or passage E, which transmits the air to the pneumatics actuating the sound-producing mechanism. To throw the ports of said collapsible chamber intosuch position that air may be, introduced through the tracker-board, the cam-stop F is drawn outward,- which causes the cam fto lift the lower arm of the compound lever G, thereby raise ing the upper arm. This upper arm being engaged to the rod H at the point it in turn raises said rod and the bars or buttons 72. h attached thereto. The bars or buttons k h respectively raise the hinged portion of the collapsible chamber A, thereby opening the port a and allowing the lever D to resume its normal position, closing the port a by means of the valve (1, the ports described assuming the position shown in Fig. 1. Reversing the movement of the stop F, the bar or button k is depressed and 'the hinged portion of the chamber, assisted by the spring a, is permitted to resume its normal position, closing the port a by means of the valve a while the In this position (shown in Fig. 2) the prothe chamber A rests upon or near the upper end of the key-rod I. By depressing the key J the key-rod I is raised, so as to strike the projections a and raise the hinged portion of the chamber, (but not sufficiently to bring it in contact with the valve (1,) thereby permitting the outer air to enter through the port a and be transmitted to the pneumatics actuating the sound-producing mechanism through the port a the ports in this case assuming the position indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. When the pressure upon the key is removed, the hinged top or portion of the collapsible chamber falls, closing the port a by'means of the'valve a the parts then assuming the position indicated by the unbroken lines in Fig. 2.

It will be understood that the number of collapsible chambers A correspond to the num- 1 her of keys, that the number of sto s F may be 'as greatly raised as :desired, and that I do not mean to limit myself to the use of ae'omsubstituted for the spring a, and it isfurther f obvious that the form of the device. may be greatly varied Without departing. from. the

sible chambers or passages each having two principle of the invention.

- Having thus described the principle ofmy invention and one way in whi h it may be carried into practice, what I claim as new,

and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

either mannal'or mechanical actuation, the

combination of aseries of collapsible chambers or passages, nnobstructedair-ducts openin g thereinto from the tracker-b card, a series of passages, tubes or fpiipe's through which air received in the chambers is transferred to the pnenmati-cs which operate the sound-produc- 5 ducing mechanism of which is capable of 7 either manual "or mechanical actuation, the combination of a music-sheet tracker-board,

aseries of collapsible chambers or passages,

means 'of communication for the passage of the ail-between the tracker-board and said chambers, means of communication for the air between each one of the said collapsible chambers and the sound-producing mechanismfa valve ineach one of said chambers, controlling said communication and operated by the movementsof thecollapsible chamber,

an opening or port from said collapsible chamber to the external air, a valve, for controlling said opening or port, means for operating said valve and connections between the collapsible chamber and the respective manually-operatedkeys of the instrument.

3. In a musical instrument of the kind described a series of collapsible chambers or passages each having the port a controlled by a valve (1 secured to the lever D, the open port a, the port a controlled by the valve or attached to the hinged upper portion of the collapsible chamber or passage, and means whereby the collapsible chambers or passages may be simultaneously distended and the ports a a respectively closed and opened,

or the collapsible chambers or passages may,

be simultaneously collapsed and the ports a e respectively opened and closed, substan tially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a musical instrument of the kindde= scribed, the combination with the traveling music-sheet tracker-board, of a series of col lapsible chambers or passages each having two intake-ports, one of which is in open com-- munication with the trackenboarma valve for controlling the other port, a discharge passagefrom said collapsible chamber to the sound-producing mechanism, a valve for controlling the same, operated in the movements of the collapsible chamber, and means for controlling such valve-actuating movements from the keys.

5. In a musical instrument of the kin-dilescribed, the combination with the traveling music-sheet tracker=board,ofla seriesnfcollap intake-ports, one of which is in open eommu= nication with the trackerboard, a valve for controlling the other port, a 'discharge-pas-' sage from said collapsible chamber to the 1. In a musical instrument the sound-pro- (lacing mechanism of which is capable of 1 sound-'producin g mechanism, "a valve for controlling the same operated in the movements of the collapsible chamber, and means for controlling the said intake-valve from the stops to open and retain it open when the chamber is wholly or partially collapsed.

6. In a -musical instrument of the kind'described, a series of collapsible chambers or passages, a travelingmusic-sheet and trackerboard, means-of communication between the tracker-board and the collapsible chambers, adischarge -pipe leading from'e'ach oneof said chambers tothesoundproducingmechanism, a valve in each one of "said chambers for controlling communication betweentheisame and the discharge-pipe which valve :is operated in the movements of the collapsible chamber, a draw-stop for 'collapsing or distending said chamber, a valve 'for each chamber controllinganintake-port from the external air and connections between the keys and each one of said chambers for distend'ingthe same to open the discharge-pipe leadingt'o the soundproducing mechanism.

7. Man instrumentof thekind-described'the J combination of the following e1enie'1'1ts, viz: a rod I, the spring,v a, substantially as dem series of collapsible chambers or passages A scribed. each having flexible air-tight walls and a top In testimony whereof I affix'my signature a hinges. atthe point (IF, the port a, a a, the in presence of two witnesses. valve a the projection a the lever D, the k 5 Valve d, the arm (1 the rod H, thebutton or ROBERT BENNETT buttons 71,, the buttons orbars 72;? h the tubes, I Witnesses:

pipes or passages e, G, the ,tracker-boardB, CHAS. C. BULKLEYI, the lever G, the cam-stop'Rthe key J the ROBERT WEIR; 

